Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-07-23
ARIZONA WEEKLY ENTERPRISE.
THE USEFUL TRAVELER,s TREE.
It Furnishes Refreshment of Many Kinds
 to People of Madagascar.


 to People of Madagascar.
 A European traveller, on his way from the coast of Madagascar to the capital, Tanarivo, in the interior, had enptied his water flask and was suffering from thirst. He asked one of the natives of his party when he should be able to ob- tain water. ''&ny time you like" said the native, smiling. The European saw DO sign of springs of water; but the na- lives conducted him to group of tall, palm like trees standing in a cluster on the edge of the forest, with straight trunks and bright green, broad leaves, growing from the opposite sides of the stalk, and making the tree appear like a great fan. The white man gazed admir- iugly at the tree. ''You think it is fine tree, said the native. but 1 will show you what it is good for
 He pierced the root of one of the leaf stems, at point where it joined the tree, with his spear, whereupon stream of clear water spurted out, which the European caught in his water can and found cool, fresh and excellent to drink.
 The party having satisfied their thirst and taken supply, the native who had spoken went on:
 ''This tree, which is good for US ir more ways than ono, VIC call the travel er's tree"
 But where does the water come from that the tree eontainss', asked the white man. " Is it taken up from the soil?'
 ''Oh,. no,' said the native. ''The leaves drink in the rain that falls or them, and when it hats passed all through them it becomes very pure and sweet. v
 t'And are there many of these trees or the island?''
 ''TEere are so many that sometimes one sees no other trees for a mile, and very often we take no provision or water when we travel, because we know that we shall find the travellers t1ee.'
 ''And you say there are other things that they are good for?''-
 The native answered by asking another question.
 Do you remember" he said, ''thC village that we passed through this morn ing, with its wooden huts roofed ovel with leaves? Those huts were made o nothing but the travellers tree. Th' wood splits easily. but makes tougl blanks for floors, and the walls of thu houses are made of bark.
 e'With the branches we make tn, rafters, and the leaves cover the roof But this is not all that the good tree does We are coming soon to village who's people 1 know, and 1 will show yoy more.
 The native was eager ill his haste t, show to the traveller what the tree had il store for him, and the European, for hi part, felt no little curiosity. They ar rived soon at the village, and the guid conducted the traveller to the hut of | friend, who received them very hospi: ably and soon spread a meal for them. First he placed upon sort of table 1 spread made of some vegetable substance very light and pretty; then he set bcfor his guests two drinking vessels of ma terial which the white man did not rec ognize, and then he gave thein two uie,l sils, which, although rude in shape served in the stead of knife and fork.
 In the midst of the table he placed large bowl filed with cream of very az petizing appearance. In another vessc there was quantity of oil, with alIneGd floating upon it. sF= sss F l Before we begin, said the guide! " must tell you what promised. Every thing that there is upon this table come from the travellers tree. You see tlli table cloth? It is made of the ibers C the leaves of the tree.
 ''These drinking cups, these plates these knives are made of the wood or tn bark of the tree. What you take to b the cream is dish made of the seeds ( the tree, pounded up with meal an mixed with kind of milk drawn froI the trunk of the tree.
 ''What you think are almonds are lii tie cakes made of these seeds, and the o is pressed from the skin or shuck of tn seed. As for the water you arc about t drink, you know that already. And W get not only these things, but some of tb people of Madagascar have made a kin of cloth that they wear out of the fiber c the wood. Youths Companion.